Connie Sue Locke, 75, of Topeka, Kansas and born March 5, 1948, at Hutchinson, Kansas, died Thursday, September 21, 2023, at Stormont Vail Hospital, Topeka. Connie was the daughter of Lorie and Maxine Locke and grew up at Arlington, Kansas.
Connie graduated from the eighth grade at Arlington Grade School, attended Arlington High School her freshman year and graduated from Fairfield High School, Langdon, Kansas in the class of 1966.
After graduating from Wichita State University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting, Connie started her career in October 1970 as fiscal officer at the Marshall County Welfare Department in Marysville, Kansas. In August 1972, she accepted an accountant position with the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services in Topeka. She worked in the SRS Finance Division for 19 years.
In May, 1989, Connie received a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Information Systems from Washburn University, Topeka. In 1991, she began work with a team developing the KsCares computer system for SRS work programs. After the KsCares project was completed in 1994, she accepted a position as applications programmer/analyst with SRS-Information Technology Systems. Connie worked 20 years for ITS mostly developing systems for SRS Division of Children and Family Services later named the Kansas Department of Children and Families. She retired on April 1, 2014.
In 2011, Connie was recognized at a statehouse ceremony by Governor Sam Brownback for 40 years of service to the State of Kansas and was one of three graduates from the same high school, Fairfield High School, whose service totaled 120 years – including Connie’s sister Loreen and Kenneth Davidson, Hutchinson.
Connie loved sports and was a lifelong New York Yankees fan. In 2008, she fulfilled a dream to see Yankee Stadium, the “house that Ruth built”, in New York City, with her brother Mark and nephew Loren.
Connie was an avid KU Jayhawks fan, especially KU basketball, holding season tickets for several decades. Being an accountant she could accurately quote many KU statistics.
Connie is survived by her brother Mark and Darlene Locke, and their family, son Timothy Locke, son Robert Locke and Nikki Stewart, their children Xander, Lesli and Natali Locke, all of Manhattan, Mark and Darlene’s daughter Charlene Rutherford, Gardner, Kansas and her children, sons Ryan Forrest and Brandon Rutherford, both living in Texas and daughters Rachel and Alyssa Rutherford, Gardner, Mark and Darlene’s son Wayne and Heather Pendarvis, their daughters Faith and Skye, all of Hutchinson and their son Wesley Pendarvis, Texas. Connie is also survived by her sister Loreen Locke McMillan and her son Loren and Susan McMillan and their five-month-old son Huxley, all of Topeka.
A celebration of life service will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, September 26, 2023, at Elliott Mortuary, Hutchinson. A beside-the-grave service will follow at Arlington Cemetery, Arlington, Kansas, with Pastor Keith Dellenbach of Abbyville officiating.
Click here to view Connie's Celebration of Life service
In lieu of flowers, Connie’s family suggests memorials to the Arlington United Methodist Church or the American Heart Association, in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N. Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.